Broken

“My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17 NIV)

My friend, Mary, loves horses. I like horses as long as there is a fence between them and me. I don’t know much about horses. Mary, on the other hand, has learned a lot about these animals by taking care of them. Mary’s heart goes out to any horse that needs care. She used to buy horses, not to ride them, but just to care for them. A few years ago, she bought a new horse and told me that it was already ‘broken.’ I imagined that she had bought an injured horse because she felt sorry for it. She laughed and explained that a ‘broken’ horse was a good thing; it meant that the horse was trainable.

Pain, disappointment, and betrayal can make us feel broken. Yet, this brokenness can make us more malleable, humble, and trainable. When we are yielded and devoted to God, we become more useful. Those of us who are already broken and in training can mentor those who have experienced pain more recently. We are able to empathize and lift them up to God who revives the brokenhearted.

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” (Psalm 34:18 NLT)